Ben Kotwica was promoted to assistant special teams coach after two seasons as a quality control coach on defense and special teams.
◊ Joined the Jets after two seasons as the defensive coordinator at the U.S. Military Academy Preparatory School, in Monmouth, NJ.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
◊ Three-year starter at linebacker and captain of the winningest team in Army history, leading the Black Knights to a 10-2 record and the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy in 1996, while playing for current Jets defensive coordinator Bob Sutton. He was 4-0 vs. Navy.
OFF THE FIELD
◊ Kotwica is a decorated officer who spent seven years in the Army after graduating from West Point.
◊ Awards include the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal and the Bronze Star.
◊ Wife, Christina; three children: daughter, Analyssa, sons, Christian and Brayden.
◊ Systems Engineer major who made Dean’s List.
◊ Commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Aviation Branch of the Army and was selected to fly the AH-64 Apache Longbow, the world’s best attack helicopter.
◊ An Attack Helicopter Platoon Leader in support of the 82nd Airborne Division from 1998-2001, where he was responsible for the health and welfare of 20 soldiers.
◊ In 2000, deployed to Bosnia-Herzegovina for eight months before returning to the states to attend the Aviation Captain Career course. He completed the course in the top 10 percent of his class.
◊ In 2002, returned overseas to Camp Page, Korea where he served as the Military Intelligence Officer for six months.
◊ In early 2003, he was selected to serve as the Battalion Executive Officer for a unit comprised of over 300 soldiers, 24 attack helicopters and more than $400 million worth of equipment.
◊ In January 2004, briefly returned to Fort Hood, Texas to serve as the Training Officer for the 1st Calvary Division.
◊ Two months later, deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom II, serving as a Combat Attack Helicopter Commander and flying over 1,000 combat hours in support of five maneuver Brigades within the 1st Calvary Division.
◊ Missions included convoy security operations; VIP escorts for former President Bush, former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice; search and destroy missions to suppress insurgent activities.
◊ In March 2005, returned to Fort Hood, where he decided to depart the military with over seven years of meritorious service.
